Chris: Uh…Another story. Whoo…It's AU. Kinda. Let's see…I use the FE world, but the circumstances are different. Plus there's going to be more types of magic and classes. And this is just a prologue, which sets up the story. Oh, and mamkutes are a lot more common. And…This is just a prologue so far. Have fun, and…Yeah, hope you like it. And I'm editing the history of Elibe a bit as well. And there's OCs in this story too. No Sues or Stus though.

Prologue: Loss of Those We Hold Dear

"Roland…Are you sure this is the best form of action?" Elimine looked pleadingly at the sword-using hero, who nodded.

"Yes…Durban and Hartmut have already formed alliances and they're planning to draw Barigan into their alliance as well." Roland shook his head regretfully. "Hartmut is a very persuasive speaker. It's no wonder Durban decided to join him, even though that berserker only wants to fight." He looked out from a castle in the nation of Lycia, staring at the nation of Bern, which was in the east.

"But…War? You cannot be serious!" Elimine pleaded with her friend, who just grimaced and shook her head. "Don't you understand?! People will die! The country is already divided enough as it is!"

"No. The people don't need us anymore. The people don't know us anymore. We fought for them, fought against that undead evil that plagued the land!" He clenched his fist. "They celebrated! Praised us as heroes! And then what did they do? Toss us away like trash! I'm starting to think Hartmut has the right idea, conquering the other nations so that he may rule."

"Roland! What has gotten into you?!" Elimine shook her friend, hard. "It's bad enough that he's even thinking of domination, but not you too!"

Roland shook his head apologetically. "I'm sorry." He looked at the ground. "But war is the only way to stop him. The nation of Lycia will not stand for this!" He stamped his foot on the ground. "Can I count on the nation of Etruria? I know that Athos is planning to get the dragons of Arcadia to fight with us, just like during the war we fought against the undead."

Elimine looked to the ground. "Yes…You will have Etruria's support. If Ilia joins the fight, however, you will need more than just my magic. And the dragons are too much of a variable to count on."

"Yes, I know. I would go to Valor and consult Bramimond…Or see Hanon in Sacae…But…" He glanced at Elimine. "You know…"

Elimine nodded somberly. "Yes…They disappeared a while ago, correct? No trace of them anywhere. People say that they've been kidnapped."

"Those are just rumors. You know them better than that. They wouldn't let themselves get captured." Roland shook his head. "There's something going on. But that's too much for me to ponder. I better get ready." He headed downstairs, towards the war room. Elimine stayed behind, staring at the blue sky.

"My friends…Why did it have to come to this…" She sobbed and collapsed, crying on the cold stones that marked the first casualty of the upcoming war.

----

And thus, the War of Heroes began. The nations of Bern and the Western Isles waged continuous war against the nation of Lycia and its sister nation, Etruria. The wyvern riders of Bern and the berserkers of the Western Isles were led by Hartmut, now called the "Air Raider" clashed against the cavaliers of Lycia and the magic-users of Etruria, led by Roland, the "Shining Swordsman" by his followers. The nations of Ilia, Sacae, and Valor remained neutral, due to the disappearances of their leaders. As for Athos and the country of Arcadia, their support is sketchy at best, and they remain an insignificant addition to the fighting force of Lycia. Many people fall on both sides, yet the war never ceases. But…On the outskirts of Ilia and in the center of the plains, darkness seeps in and destroys all that lies within its path.

And now…To the present time, where Lord Elbert, the new leader of Lycia, plans for the upcoming campaign.

---

"Sir! The cities of Araphen and Laus have fallen to the combined might of Bern and the Western Isles! The forces stationed there have retreated momentarily to Tania and Kathelet to boost their defenses!" A soldier saluted to the commander-in-chief, the current marquess of Pherae.

Lord Elbert sighed, his red hair falling into his eyes. Brushing it away, he looked at the soldier. "Send whatever forces we have at Badon to help! Those pirates that are stationed there must be good for something!"

"Yes, sir!" The solider saluted before leaving, ready to send his message to Captain Fargus, the leader of the Badon pirates. Lord Elbert turned to his other advisors.

"Sir Marcus! What news have you received about my son, Eliwood, and his friend Hector?"

"Lord Eliwood is currently stationed at Worde. Shall I send someone to pick him up?" Marcus looked at his lord, his graying purple hair swaying in the breeze. Lord Elbert shook his head.

"No. I believe my son is safe." Eliwood's father clenched his hand. "What about Marquess Ostia's brother? Hector?"

"I believe my son is in Tania, overseeing a construction project." A tall, dark-blue haired main walked in, his armor clanking around him.

"Marquess Ostia!" Marcus pulled out a seat for the lord to sit in.

He nodded to Marcus and sat, facing Elbert.

"Lord Uther! I didn't expect you to be here!" He shook Uther's hand. "How are things in Ostia?"

"Doing fine, doing fine…" Uther let out a sigh. "No…That's all a lie. The people are getting tired of this neverending war, and while talks of virtue and courage cheer the people a bit, morale is starting to drop. However, you can still count on Ostia in a fight." He ran a hand through his hair. "Any more news from the front?"

"Other than the fact that Araphen and Laus have fallen? No." Elbert looked at the ground, his hands clasped under his chin. "However, I am certain that-" Just as he was speaking, another messenger ran in, his light-green hair in a flurry.

"Sir! Lord Elbert! I-I bring news!" The cavalier collapsed, panting heavily with a thick sheen of sweat covering his face and body.

"Someone, bring him water!"

A servant ran up and brought the cavalier a pitcher of water. He drank thirstily, and when he had regained his breath, he stood up and saluted.

"Commander Lowen of the Lightning Brigade, reporting!" Bright green eyes peeked out from under his unruly mass of hair.

Elbert motioned for him to sit down, which he did. "What is your news, captain?"

"S-Sir! It is about your son!" Lowen gulped, afraid of the news that he was going to have to bring to his liege.

"Eliwood?! Spit it out, man!" Elbert was up in a flash and pounded his hand on the table. Uther stood up and put an arm about the angry lord.

"Please. Calm down. I am certain that you must be worried. But anger will do nothing for you at the moment."

Lowen nodded, nervously. "It…" He looked at Marcus, who nodded his head. "Worde…"

"What news is it?" Elbert, his temper under control once again, calmly, or at least trying to be calm, sat down.

"Oh…My lord…Worde has fallen! There is no report from the city, and both General Harken and Lord Eliwood have not been seen. People say that are either dead, or worse, captured!"

"…" Everyone stared in shock at the cavalier's announcement. Elbert was the first one who had a reaction.

"Eliwood…My son…" He sat down heavily in his chair and laid his head face down on the table. "Eliwood…" Uther sat down next to Elbert, patting the sobbing lord on his back. Marcus stood next to his lord, trying to seek some way to brighten up his lord's mood. But for now, they stayed silent, out of respect for their lord and for his son, whose fate was unknown.

----

"Urgh…" A young, red-haired boy shook his head, to find a light-blue haired girl standing over him. "Huh?! Oh…Ninian. Don't scare me like that." He looked around and found himself in a ramshackle dwelling.

Ninian blushed, and began stammering apologies. The boy shook his head and smiled. He began to rise, but Ninian pushed him back into the bed.

"Please….Don't move…You're really hurt, Lord Eliwood."

"Don't call me Lord Eliwood. Sounds like I'm putting airs on myself. Just call me Eliwood, like the rest of my troops." Eliwood ruffled her hair a little, and she smiled.

"Okay Lor-, I mean, Eliwood. I'm not one of your troops though…"

Eliwood waved that off. "Nonsense. You do just about as much as any fighter in my army…Although, by the looks of it, my army is gone…" He frowned. "Where's Harken?"

"Right here, my lord." A blond-haired man entered, a stern expression on his face which softened when he saw Eliwood. "You are right…Our forces were wiped out by the combined attack of wyvern riders and berserkers."

"Some leader I am…" Eliwood sat up and lifted himself out of the bed, ignoring Ninian's restraining movements. "I should have been out there, fighting with them."

"But-" Harken ventured a protest, but was quickly cut off by Eliwood.

"No buts!" Eliwood whirled around, facing Harken. "It is my fault we lost! If I was stronger! If I was better! We would have won!" He stomped off to another part of the house. Ninian turned worriedly at Harken, who stared at Eliwood's retreating figure.

"Yes, Ninian…He is blaming himself for something that wasn't his fault." Harken shook his head. "This is not the time for this, however. We are in an occupied city, constantly patrolled by enemy forces." Harken shifted in his chain mail armor, stretching. "We must fight back somehow."

"B-But how?" Ninian twirled her fingers around the blue-green shawl she wore, which was a gift from Eliwood. She began brushing her light-blue dress, which was now covered with dust and blood. "I can't fight and we don't have enough forces to defeat the troops that are here now."

"We will find a way. But first, we must make sure that our lord does not do something stupid." Harken looked at Ninian, who nodded. She entered the room that Eliwood had entered and found him sobbing in a chair, his face covered by his hands.

"E-Eliwood?" Ninian nervously inched forward, looked at the young man. Eliwood turned at her voice, but turned away just as quickly.

"Go away."

"But Eliwood…" Ninian moved closer and reached him. She placed her hand on Eliwood's shoulder.

"Go away!" Eliwood stood up, his eyes flaring. "Leave me alone so I die in peace!"

Ninian lowered her head, staring at the ground. Harken, who had entered while Ninian and Eliwood were talking, leaned against the wall. But Eliwood, now drowned in his guilt and rage didn't take notice of him.

"It was all my fault! They died protecting me! I was the first man down! Everyone died for me! And what did I do? I didn't fight! I didn't try to help! If you ask me, you should just let me die before you get killed because of me!" Eliwood was about to continue when Harken knocked him hard on the head, rendering him unconscious. Harken lifted the lord over his shoulder and laid him on the bed again. Ninian followed, wringing her hands. Harken looked at Ninian, his own face etched with worry.

"Don't worry. He'll understand. Someday, he'll understand. And when that happens, he will forgive us. And he will be back to normal." Harken looked at Ninian, who nodded slightly, extremely saddened.

'Oh…Eliwood…Why must you blame yourself?'

---

"Get those archers firing against that column!" Lyndis, the leader of the nomad tribes of Sacae pointed a mass of enemies over at the right flank. Rath, one of her officers, nodded. He galloped to where his mounted archers were and commanded them to fire at the mass of…creatures that were advancing. Many fell, but some would just rise again, the arrows protruding from their bodies.

"Dammit!" Lyn let out a long string of curses. Her group had been fighting against a small army of the undead that had popped out in the middle of nowhere. She turned to another soldier behind her. "Sylvania! What is the status of Commander Karel's and Commander Karla's divisions?"

The scout whipped out her spyglass and peered at the battlefield. "Karel's swordmasters appear to be faring well, and the commander himself is in the thick of the battle. As for Commander Karla…Her troop is doing well…Wait! There's another group that's advancing from behind them. They won't notice!"

"Yes…And they'll get slaughtered, attacked from the back…" Lyn pointed to a young soldier, his green hair tied in a braid. "Guy! Bring your reserve division and destroy those!"

"Yes, sir!" Guy saluted and rushed off, nomads and other myrmidons following behind him. 'I'd rather be fighting the living any day over these things…Why did they have to come to my homeland?'

Chris: Uh…Yeah. Tell me whatcha think. Oh, and yeah, there are still some things I need to put. Like the rest of the FE characters and the rest of the OCs. They'll come in the next chapter. Whoo.